Final Fantasy 7: Finding a way back
by Azura De Martel
Summary: Laina woke up and found herself in a dimension which is very similar from the one she came from and met Yakumo and a group of people who are mirror images of the people she knew. Will she be able to return to her own dimension?
1. Chapter 1

**FF 7: Finding a way back**

 **Prologue: Landed in an alternate and similar world**

One minute Laina was trying her best to stand firm and upright on the outer deck of the airship, the next minute she felt herself fall backward off the airship and down toward the North Crater below her. She screamed (and also heard Kunsel screaming her name) and felt strong and sharp gust of cold wind blowing past her as she fall until she's completely engulfed by the beam of bright white light which shone out of the crater and up toward the sky.

The beam of bright light surrounded her falling form for a few minutes until it slowly fade away to reveal puffy white clouds, clear blue sky around her and a bright and warm yellow sun shining in the distance. She kept on falling (and screaming) for another few more minutes until she fell through a large hole on the roof of an old church and straight into a small, shallow and clear water pond with a loud splash. The impact of her fall into the pond broke her left arm and some of her ribs (which make her winced in pain) before she quickly pull herself out of the water and climbed out of it. After she climbed out of the small pond (while water dripped from her soaked chestnut hair, body and clothes down to the wooden floor), she take a short glance at the place around her before unconsciousness came over her and she passed out on the floor.

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 **Meanwhile, somewhere outside the church…**

Yakumo (wife of Cloud Strife and mother to Cera Strife) was on her way toward her stepsister church with Orbit (a machine which Yakumo found and set free from Don Corneo's mansion) walking next to her when they saw something or someone fell from the sky and crash landed straight into the church. Both Yakumo and Orbit exchange worried glances with each other before they swiftly make their way into the church and soon saw a woman with long waist-length chestnut-coloured hair tied up with an azure-coloured ribbon into a long ponytail behind her head, wearing a black T-shirt with a pair of black jeans on her body, knee-length brown cotton boots on her legs, a long velvet blue-coloured coat over her black T-shirt and jeans and with a long crimson-coloured saber sword strapped behind her while she lie soaking wet and passed out on the wooden floor.

"Oh my!" said Yakumo as she glance down at the passed out unknown woman with a worry look on her face before she turned to glance at Orbit. "We've to take her with us back to Seventh Heaven to help her, Orbit!"

Orbit glance down at the unknown woman then at Yakumo and slowly nodded his metallic head at her before he approach the unknown woman, gently scooped her up in its long arms before both he and Yakumo turned around and left the church, heading swiftly back to Seventh Heaven with the unknown woman with them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1: Waking up and meeting Yakumo, Cloud, Cera, Tifa and the others**

In the bar room inside the Seventh Heaven restaurant, Cloud Strife (husband of Yakumo and father to Cera Strife) is currently sitting on one of the sofa which leaned against the wall (which have several pictures hanging on the wall) next to the window while he watched and hold his sleeping baby girl, Cera Strife close to him with a soft/caring fatherly look on his face (and also waiting for his wife, Yakumo and Orbit to come back from the old church) while Rose (a small and white female moogle which Yakumo helped out back in the City of the Ancients) floated in the air nearby both Cloud and Cera and staring down at Cera with a soft look on her face (while both Marlene and Denzel were busy helping Tifa in washing the dirty dishes and cups in the kitchen at the back of the Seventh Heaven restaurant).

As both Cloud and Rose continue to glance down at baby Cera, Cloud suddenly saw movement outside the window next to him and he swiftly glance up from Cera to look out the window and he soon saw his wife, Yakumo and her machine friend, Orbit (who's carrying an unconscious woman under his metallic right arm) heading swiftly toward the front door of Seventh Heaven, opened the front door to came into the bar room and closed the door behind them.

"What's wrong, Yakumo, Orbit?" Cloud asked his wife and Orbit in a confused and worry tone of voice while he stood up and approach them both (while still holding Cera closely to him and with Rose floating/following next to him) before he glance down at the unconscious woman under Orbit's metallic right arm. "And who's this?"

"I'll explain later, Cloud. Right now I need to get this woman to one of the guest room upstairs to help her and gave her some dry clothes. Will you stay down here with Cera, Rose, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel until I call for you guys?" Yakumo told Cloud and he let out a small sigh and nodded his head. Yakumo smiled at him before she look down at her daughter Cera in Cloud's arms and kissed her forehead before both she and Orbit (and the unconscious woman) turned and went up the staircase toward one of the guest rooms, went into it and Yakumo closed the door behind her then both she and Orbit helped change the woman into dry clothes (which is a long sleeve white-coloured cotton shirt and long brown pants), put her wet clothes on a chair standing in the left corner of the room (for washing and drying later on), take and placed her crimson sword against the wall opposite them and Orbit gently put the woman down on the single-sized bed near the window.

After both Yakumo and Orbit's done in helping the woman out, Yakumo then turned and opened the door and call for Cloud, Rose, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel to come up and all 6 of them (yes, that includes the sleeping baby girl) came up the stairs, went into the guest room and all of them glance warily/curiously at the unconscious woman lying on the single-sized bed with both Yakumo and Orbit.

"What happened when both you and Orbit went to the church, Yakumo?" Cloud asked Yakumo (as she approach and stay close to Cloud and Cera).

"As we were on our way to my stepsister's church, we suddenly saw this woman fell rapidly from the sky and crash landed into the church, Cloud." Yakumo began explaining to Cloud, Rose, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. "When we went into the church, we saw her dripping wet from head to toe and passed out on the wooden floor near the pond and we quickly took her back with us."

"She fell from the sky and crash landed straight into the small pond in the church?" said Tifa in a shocked tone of voice as she glance back and forth at Yakumo (who nodded to her) and the woman. "That's quite shocking."

"Is she going to be alright, Yakumo?" asked Marlene worriedly.

"I'm sure she will be, Marlene." answered Yakumo in a reassuring tone of voice to Marlene.

"Hey, I think she's about to wake up." said Denzel.

Right after Denzel told them, the woman lying on the bed began to groaned lightly in pain, stirred on the bed for a short while then opened her eyes and slowly sat up from her lying position on the bed to glance at the room around her then turned her head to glance over at Yakumo and the others (and they saw that her eyes were the same mako blue-coloured eyes that Cloud had).

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Laina groaned lightly in pain due to her broken left arm and some of her ribs in her body (but not for long as the Jenova cells inside her do their work to healed her broken left arm and ribs) before she opened her eyes, slowly sat up from the bed she's lying on, take a glance around the room she's in before she glance over to her left and noticed Cloud, Tifa, Marlene standing and watching her warily/worriedly with a beautiful woman (who's holding what Laina assumed correctly is a baby in her arms) with short shoulder-length orange-coloured hair, warm brown-coloured eyes and rosy-coloured lips on her slightly round-shaped face and fair-looking skin, a strong and tall-looking robot next to the beautiful woman and a small and white moogle floating nearby her in the air.

"What happened and where are we now, Cloud, Tifa?" asked Laina at both Cloud and Tifa, who exchange surprised then confused looks at each other and at Yakumo, Marlene, Denzel, Orbit and Rose when they heard what Laina just said to them. "The last thing I can remember is falling from the airship while we try to escape from the North Crater and landed in a small clear pond in a building before I passed out."

"Well, right now you're in Seventh Heaven restaurant/bar, whoever you are, miss." said Yakumo, answering Laina's questions. "My friend, Orbit and I saw you falling from the sky then saw you lying unconscious and dripping wet on the floor of the church and decided to take you back with us to help you."

"You and your friend did, huh? I appreciate it." said Laina as she gave Yakumo a small grateful smile. "And who are you? I've never see you before." Laina asked Yakumo.

"Oh, I'm Yakumo Levy." said Yakumo, introducing herself to Laina. "A very close friend to Orbit, Rose, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel here and also Cloud's wife and mother to Cera Strife, our daughter."

"Say what!?" said Laina as she stared at Yakumo then at Cloud with a shocked look on her face. "You're married and became a father already!? When, how… What about Angelina!?"

"What are you talking about, lady?" said Cloud as he scowled at Laina. "I don't know any girl named Angelina! And who are you, how do you know about mine and Tifa's name?" demanded Cloud.

Now's it's Laina's turn to scowled back at Cloud when she heard what he said to her. "What do you mean by you don't know about me and Angelina, Cloud!? Angelina is a childhood friend to both you and Tifa in Nibelheim for years! And I'm Laina Donovan, a close friend to all three of you when we started our journey with the others to try to take down both Sephiroth and Shinra company, which is weeks ago!"

"You, a close friend to me and Tifa, Angelina is a childhood friend to the both of us, starting a journey with us and the others to try to take down both Sephiroth and Shinra company?" Cloud repeated Laina's words while the scowling look on his face turn darker and darker. "Sounds like a whole lot of delusional gibberish words to me, Laina Donovan! For your information, we've already defeated Sephiroth a week ago and take down Shinra company two years ago."

"You already did!?" said Laina as the scowling look on her face immediately change to a surprised/shocked look. "That can't be!"

As Cloud was about to open his mouth to tell Laina off, Yakumo swiftly placed her hand on Cloud's shoulder to silence him and calm him down. "Cloud, that's enough. Why don't you let me talk to her alone while you take Cera and leave the room with Orbit, Rose, Tifa and the kids?"

"Leave you alone with her? No way, Yakumo!" said Cloud as he shake his head at Yakumo.

"Don't worry, Cloud. I'll be fine." said Yakumo calmly to Cloud. "I can sense that she's not a bad person, just very confused and annoyed about everything right now."

"But…" Cloud began to protest then didn't say anything when he saw the "please-don't-argued-with-me" look on Yakumo's face, sighed deeply, nodded at Yakumo before he gently take his baby daughter from her (who still slept soundly even after the partially loud conversation between Cloud and Laina), leave the room with Orbit, Rose, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel and he closed the door behind him.

Once Yakumo is sure that they're alone, she take and pull a chair near the bed, sat down on the chair and glance at Laina, who glance back at her.

"I find it very hard to believe about everything now." Laina began saying to Yakumo, feeling very confused. "About Cloud forgetting about me and Angelina, already taking down the Shinra company, defeated Sephiroth, marrying you and had a child together…"

"I know you're very confused right now, Laina Donovan." said Yakumo in an understanding tone of voice. "Which is quite understandable since I can sense that you're not from this world."

"What?" said Laina.

"You must have come into this world by accident, somehow." Yakumo told her. "You told us that you fell from the airship down to the North Crater, right?"

Laina slowly nodded her head at Yakumo.

"That must be when you got send to this world by accident." Yakumo told her. "And why everything is so confusing to you right now, because you don't belong here."

"…You might be right, Yakumo Levy." said Laina as she lowered her head to glance down at her clenched hands on the bedsheet while thinking/remembering back about the time she fell from the airship down to the North Crater. "That means I've to find a way back to my own world, somehow. I'm sure by now, my sister, Phemie is worried about me… And my friends are still with those Shinra people, at their mercy!"

"And we'll help you find a way back to your world swiftly so you can help your sister and your friends as well, Laina Donovan." Yakumo told Laina in a reassuring tone of voice and Laina glance up at her and slowly nodded. "So, will you tell me more about the your own world, Laina Donovan. I'm quite curious and wanted to know about it."

Laina let out a small sigh then proceeded to tell Yakumo (and only Yakumo) all about it, from the very beginning until the North Crater event. Yakumo listen attentively to her long tale (and chuckle sometimes at some of the hilarious things she and her friends do together and felt very sad/pity for some of the tragic events she's gone through) until Laina ceased telling Yakumo her long tale, felt tired and slowly lie herself down on the bed and fell asleep. Yakumo bade good night to her, stood up from the chair she's sitting on, turned around and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2: Day 1 in an alternate world, part 1**

Laina woke up early the next day (while silently hoping that everything she saw and heard yesterday was all a dream), open her eyes to take a look around the place and let out a small sigh of dismay when she saw that she's still lying on the single-sized bed in the guest room inside the Seventh Heaven restaurant/bar, which confirm to her that it's not a dream, it's all real. Laina then got off the bed, turned and approach her Geneva saber leaning against the wall opposite the single-sized bed, take it with her before she left the guest room, walked silently down the stairs then the hallway (to not wake anybody up) toward the back of the restaurant, reached and open the door to the small backyard to do some soldier training by herself.

Once Laina's in the backyard behind the restaurant, she closed her eyes, raised and pressed her Geneva saber close to her forehead before she lowered it, open her eyes and prepared herself into a fighting position. She then began doing a series of air thrusts and slashes with her Geneva saber for about half an hour, unaware that the sounds of air thrusts and slashes of her Geneva saber is loud enough to wake Tifa up.

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Tifa woke up from her slumber when she heard some slightly loud, strange air thrust and slash noises coming from the backyard. Thinking/assuming that there might be someone dangerous in the backyard of her restaurant, she quickly got off her bed, put on her black-coloure fighter gloves, left her bedroom, walked silently down the stairs (to not wake both Marlene and Denzel and the Donovan woman up and to not alert the person in the backyard of her presence) then down the hallway toward the back of her restaurant, open the door to the backyard silently and she soon saw that instead of some dangerous person which she initially thought/assumed, it turns out to be the Donovan woman which both Yakumo and Orbit brought back to Seventh Heaven from the church, doing some kind of sword training with her crimson-coloured sword in her hands by herself. Tifa decided to kept silent and watched as the Donovan woman continue doing a series of sword thrusts and slashes by herself until she suddenly stop her training, straighten herself and lowered her sword before she turned around to glance at her.

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Laina immediately stops her training when she felt a presence behind her, turned around and saw that it's just Tifa (wearing a black tank top and long white pants), standing near the door and watching her.

"Oh, good morning, Tifa." Laina greeted her. "Did the sound of my training wake you?"

"Good morning to you too. And yes, you did." replied Tifa with a nod of her head. "How did you learn how to fight?" Tifa asked Laina.

"Why do you want to know about that, Tifa?" Laina asked her.

"Because… this is the first time someone from another world/dimension came into our world/dimension and I'm curious and wanted to know more about you." answered Tifa. "And also because Yakumo sense and told us that you're not a bad person."

"Yeah, I know." said Laina.

"So, will you tell me more about yourself and the world/dimension you came from?" Tifa asked her. "Because I'm a little curious."

"I'm sorry, Tifa. I can't tell you my entire story due to the fact that I'm in another world/dimension. Yakumo Levy is the only person who knows my entire story while we were alone in the guest room yesterday and that's it." Laina told her and felt a little guilty when she saw Tifa slightly lowered her head in sadness/disappointment before she put her sword behind her back, walked through the opened door past Tifa and back into the restaurant, not looking back at her.

Laina walked down the hallway, went up the stairs back into the guest room, take and put her Geneva saber against the wall inside the room before she turned and went into the bathroom opposite the guest room to washed and clean herself up, dried herself up with a clean towel in the bathroom then wrapped the towel around her body before she left the bathroom, went back into the guest room to wear back her own outfits (which is all clean and dry now), take and put her Geneva saber back behind her, walked down the stairs and she soon saw both Marlene and a short brown-haired, blue eye boy wearing a white T-shirt with a dark grey-coloured thin jacket over his shirt and long, dark grey pants (who's awake now and is sitting on one of the long sofa against the wall on the right corner of the room).

"Good morning." Marlene greeted Laina when she saw her coming down the stairs.

"Good morning." the boy greeted Laina when he saw her coming down the stairs as well.

"Good morning to you two as well, Marlene and…" Laina greeted back to both Marlene and the boy.

"… Denzel. My name is Denzel." the boy told Laina his name.

"Right, Denzel." said Laina with a nod of her head. "It's nice seeing you two in the morning but I've to go now."

"Go where?" Marlene asked Laina.

"Probably to Nibelheim first." Laina told Marlene.

"Without having any breakfast first?" said Marlene. "Come on, you must be hungry now."

"I'm not…" Laina began saying as she turned her head to glance at Marlene and just as she's about to finish her sentence, her stomach choose that moment to betray her by letting out a slightly loud growling noise. Laina immediately stop talking and her face turned red with embarrassment while both Marlene and Denzel smiled at her embarrassed reaction.

"See? I knew you're hungry." said Marlene.

"And you're right about that, Marlene." said Denzel.

Laina let out a small sigh. "Fine. I'll have some breakfast here with you two and Tifa before I leave." said Laina to both Marlene and Denzel, who smiled and nodded before they approach her, grabbed each of her hands and gently dragged her with them both toward the sofa, make her sit down on the sofa before they turned and walked away from her down the hallway toward the kitchen to help Tifa out. Laina watched them leave the main room of the Seventh Heaven restaurant toward the kitchen before she turned her head to glance out the window at the two or three-storey buildings, cars and trucks driving around while ordinary people/civilians walking on the streets (while avoiding the cars and trucks driving on the street among them).


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3: Day 1 in an alternate world, part 2**

While Laina is currently sitting on one of the sofa leaning against the left wall corner of the main room inside the Seventh Heaven building (after both Marlene and Denzel dragged and make her sit on the sofa before they left to go to the kitchen to help Tifa out) and looking out the window near her at the other buildings, cars and trucks driving around while ordinary peoples/civilians walking on the streets (while avoiding the cars and trucks driving on the street among them), Cloud Strife and his wife, Yakumo and their daughter Cera (which Yakumo is holding closely in her arms) and 2 of Yakumo's friends, Orbit and Rose (who's floating instead of walking with them) were on their way toward Seventh Heaven to see Tifa, Marlene and Denzel and also to see how the foreign woman named Laina Donovan is doing now (after all of them woke up early, washed/clean themselves up and change/wear their usual outfits before they leave their house together).

"I wonder how Laina's doing now?" said Yakumo to herself.

"I'm sure she's fine, honey." Cloud told her.

"I hope you're right, Cloud." Yakumo told him.

Soon all 5 of them arrived in front of the Seventh Heaven building/restaurant at the same time Laina saw all 5 of them coming and standing outside the building and she quickly stood up from the sofa, went to the front door to open it for them.

"Hello and good morning to all of you." Laina greeted politely to them.

"Hello and good morning to you too, Laina Donovan." Cloud greeted back to her.

Laina gave a small smile at Cloud, Yakumo, Cera, Orbit and Rose before she step aside to let them come into the main room of Seventh Heaven and close the door behind them after they came in. Both Marlene and Denzel choose that moment to leave the kitchen to see who is it that came in and they smiled and greeted Cloud, Yakumo, Cera, Orbit and Rose (who smiled and greeted back to the 2 of them) before they both turned around and went back into the kitchen to resumed helping Tifa out (and to tell her that Cloud, Yakumo, Cera, Orbit and Rose came to Seventh Heaven).

"How's are you feeling now and how's your left arm and your ribs, Laina?" Yakumo asked Laina.

"I'm feeling fine now and my left arm and my ribs are completely healed now, Yakumo. Thanks for asking and for your concern." answered Laina and Yakumo gave her a small smile.

"Listen, Laina Donovan," Cloud began saying to Laina and she turned to glance at him. "I wanted to apologize to my rude behavior and the words which I said to you yesterday so… I'm sorry for that."

"… It's alright, Cloud. I accept your apology." said Laina.

Yakumo (and both Orbit and Rose) smiled at her husband apologizing to Laina for his rude behavior/words to her yesterday in the guest room and at Laina accepting his apology while their daughter, Cera glance back and forth in confusion at her father, her mother and the stranger woman standing and talking with her father before she uses her power of Mako/Sense on the stranger woman to check her out on whether she's a dangerous person and felt that the stranger woman is someone who came accidently from another world/dimension and is also a strong soldier/fighter like both her father and mother. Cera then stop using her power of Mako/Sense on the stranger woman, glance up at her mother (who also glance down at her) and silently told her that she wanted to be close to the stranger woman.

"Of course you can be close to her, Cera." Yakumo told Cera and Cera smiled happily at her mother for allowing it.

"No! Absolutely not, Yakumo." said Cloud as he shake his head at Yakumo.

"And why not, Cloud?" Yakumo asked Cloud.

"Because… what if she hurt Cera?" Cloud told Yakumo.

"She'll not hurt our daughter, Cloud." Yakumo told Cloud firmly. "Didn't I already told you and the others yesterday that she's not a bad person, just someone got sent to our world/dimension by accident?"

"Yes, you did, Yakumo." said Cloud as he nodded his head to his wife, Yakumo. "But I still don't trust her with our daughter."

Laina felt a little angry at Cloud for thinking that she would hurt his daughter but she still had to agreed with him for not letting her near his and Yakumo daughter since their daughter painfully reminded her of the family she will never have with her deceased husband, Zack Fair. "…I've to agreed with Cloud on this, Yakumo." said Laina as she glance at Yakumo, who stop talking to Cloud and glance at her. "You shouldn't let me be close to your daughter."

"You're agreeing with him, Laina?" said Yakumo. "Well, I don't agreed on Cloud thinking that you'll hurt Cera and on you refusing to be close to her just because she reminded you of what you'll never have."

Before either Cloud or Laina could say anymore words of protest to Yakumo, Yakumo turned and approach Laina and gently handed and put Cera into Laina's arms.

"What are you doing, Yakumo?" said both Cloud and Laina to Yakumo in surprised/shocked tone of voices when they saw what she just did. Cloud was about to approach Laina to get Cera away from her but Yakumo turned to glance at him and she placed her hands on Cloud's shoulders to reassured him.

"It's going to be alright, Cloud." Yakumo told him in a reassuring tone of voice. "Trust me."

Cloud glance back and forth at his wife and at his daughter in Laina's arms and he sighed and decided to trust Yakumo. Yakumo smiled when she sense that Cloud decides to trust her before she turned around to glance back at both Laina and Cera (same goes for Orbit and Rose).

Laina continue to glance at Yakumo in surprised/shocked for a few more seconds before she glance down at the baby girl named Cera in her arms and was surprised even more when she saw that Cera was smiling at her instead of frighten of her. Cera then raised her tiny hands to touch and play some of Laina's long chestnut-coloured hair near the left side of her face. The surprised/shocked look on Laina's face slowly change into a soft/caring look when she saw Cera started touching and playing with her hair.

"You like playing with my hair, huh, little one?" Laina asked Cera in a gentle tone of voice and Cera answer her question by smiling and touching/playing with her hair even more. "What a cute and beautiful baby you are, little one."

Yakumo smiled happily at the way her daughter touched/played with some of Laina's long chestnut-coloured hair while Cloud had a surprise then smiling look on his face when he saw his daughter touching/playing with some of Laina's hair and Laina let her do it and complimented on how cute and beautiful she is.

At that moment, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel came out of the kitchen holding several plates of foods and drinks in their hands (and all 3 of them had surprise looks on their faces when they saw Laina holding Cera gently in her arms), put the foods and drinks down on one of the rectangular-shaped table near the sofa and Laina carefully handed Cera (who pouted when she can't touch/play with Laina's hair) back to Yakumo before she, Yakumo, Cloud, Cera, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel and Rose sat down on the chairs and sofa to begin eating their breakfast (except for Orbit since he's a robot).

As they ate their breakfast, both Marlene and Denzel decided to ask Laina more about the world/dimension she came from and when she refused to tell them about it, they both gave her their "puppy eyes" look until she relented and tell them both (and also Cloud, Cera, Tifa, Orbit and Rose except Yakumo since she already know) about everything she, her sister and all of her close friends gone through and experience in her own world/dimension. All of them listen to her long tale attentively (they chuckle at some of the similar and hilarious things which Laina and her friends did together and felt sad/pity at some of the tragic things in her tale) until she's done telling them about it.

After Laina's done telling them her long tale, Cloud, Yakumo (who's holding Cera in her arms), Tifa, Marlene and Denzel then decides to tell Laina everything about their own long tale of their journey in their own world/dimension and Laina listen attentively to their tale. Laina smiled and chuckle at some of the hilarious things they did (like the one where Cloud got mad and grabbed a rat near him before he burst into Don Corneo's room and make Don Corneo kiss the rat's butt instead of Yakumo and smirked at the many parts where both Cloud and Reno fight over Yakumo until Cloud wins, married Yakumo and they had baby Cera together 2 years later), got mad at some of the things which both Sephiroth and Hojo did to Cloud, Yakumo and their close friends/companions, felt very sad/pity at some of their close friends/companions who died and smiled at the rest of the things Cloud, Yakumo and their friends/companions did and fought together during their long journey (which is almost similar to the journey which she and her friends/companions is going through now) until they're done telling her everything about it.

"…That was quite an unusual long tale which all 5 of you have gone through with your friends/companions." said Laina as she glance at Cloud, Yakumo, Tifa, Orbit and Rose (after they all finish their breakfast and frinks). "Almost similar to the one which me and my friends/companions are going through right now."

"Yes, that's right." said Yakumo as she nodded her head to Laina. "And it's still a long way for you, your sister and also your friends/companions. But I'm sure that you, your sister and your friends/companions will be able to succeed to the end, like we did."

"I hope you're right, Yakumo." said Laina as she glance at Yakumo and gave her a small smile before she stood up from her chair. "Thanks for the breakfast, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. It's time for me to go to Nibelheim now."

"Why do you want to go to Nibelheim, Laina Donovan?" Cloud asked her.

"Because I wanted to go down to the small library under the old Shinra mansion and see if there's any books there that could tell or show me about a way for me to return to my own world/dimension, Cloud." answered Laina.

"You're not going there alone, Laina." said Yakumo as she stood up from her chair (while holding Cera). "Yesterday I told you that we're going to help you find a way back to your own world/dimension, isn't it?"

"…Yes, you did, Yakumo." said Laina.

"So why don't you wait patiently here for a few minutes with both Orbit and Rose and our daughter, Cera while both Cloud and I help Tifa, Marlene and Denzel in washing the dishes and cups in the kitchen?" Yakumo told Laina. "After we're done helping Tifa, Marlene and Denzel in the kitchen, then Cloud, me, Orbit and Rose will follow you to Nibelheim and Cera can stay here with Tifa, Marlene and Denzel."

Laina turned to glance at Yakumo and nodded at her suggestion. Yakumo gave her a small smile before she gently put Cera into Laina's arms (who immediately touch/play with Laina's hair happily) before both she and Cloud help Tifa, Marlene and Denzel take the dishes and cups down the hallway toward the kitchen while both Orbit and Rose stay near both Laina and Cera in the main room.

 **(Hope this chapter is to your liking, Tmdrago-san.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4: Day 1 in an alternate world, part 3**

As both Cloud and Yakumo went with Tifa, Marlene and Denzel down the hallway toward the kitchen to help them in washing the dirty dishes and cups while Laina holds baby Cera (who smile and touch/play with her chestnut-coloured hair) carefully in her arms with both Orbit and Rose standing and floating near them in the main room, Reno (one of the members of Turks and also the guy who tried and failed to win/get Yakumo's love/affection) is currently heading toward the Seventh Heaven restaurant by himself with the intention to see Yakumo and her daughter, Cera. Once he's arrived in front of the Seventh Heaven restaurant, open the front door and went into the building, he take a look around the place for any signs of either Yakumo or baby Cera and he soon noticed baby Cera in the arms of a stranger woman he had never met before, who's staring down at Cera with a soft/caring look on her face while both Orbit and Rose stay near them both.

"Hey, who the hell are you, lady? And why do you have Cera in your arms?" Reno demanded at the stranger woman.

"The name's Laina Donovan, Reno." Laina introduced herself to him without looking away from Cera (while Reno had a surprise look on his face when he heard her say his name before he told her). "And as to why I've this little one in my arms, it's because Yakumo placed her in it, despite mine and Cloud's protests."

"I don't believe you, lady." said Reno as he glared at her. "Where is Yakumo, Cloud and the others? And how did you know my name?"

"Well…" Laina began saying and got cut off by Yakumo's words to Reno.

"We're right here, Reno." said Yakumo as she glance at Reno, with Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel standing near and behind her (after they're done in washing the dirty dishes and cups and left the kitchen to came back into the main room) before Yakumo approach Laina and Laina gently handed Cera over to her. "And I did placed Cera in Laina's arms so she's not lying to you."

"And why would you do such a thing, Yakumo?" Reno asked her.

"It's because she's not a bad person, Reno." Yakumo answered Reno's question before she (and Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel) began explaining/telling him about Laina and about where Laina came from (after she glance at Laina with a "Is-it-alright-if-I-tell-him" look on her face and Laina nodded to her). Reno listen to what Yakumo, Cloud and the others told him with a surprised/shocked look on his face and glance at Laina after Yakumo, Cloud and the others are done explaining/telling him about Laina.

"Are you seriously from another alternate world/dimension which is very similar to ours?" Reno asked Laina in a surprised tone of voice.

"Yes, that's right." answered Laina.

"Woah. I can't believe it." said Reno as he raised and placed his right hand on his head. "This is…"

"Almost unbelievable?" said Cloud and Reno nodded his head in agreement to Cloud's words.

"But it's true and here I am in this alternate world/dimension with all of you, no thanks to Sephiroth." said Laina, glancing at them (while Cloud's face turn dark with anger when he heard Laina mention Sephiroth's name). "So, Yakumo, Cloud, are you guys done helping Tifa, Marlene and Denzel?" Laina asked both Yakumo and Cloud.

"Yes, we're done now, Laina." answered Yakumo. "Shall we be going?"

"Yes, let's go to Nibelheim now, Yakumo, Cloud." said Laina.

"Huh? Why are you guys going to Nibelheim with her?" Reno asked both Yakumo and Cloud, confused.

"Because we want to help sent her back to where she came from, Reno." answered Cloud, feeling annoyed at Reno's question (same goes for Laina).

"Right." said Reno as he crossed his arms and nodded his head a little at Cloud before he decided to charmed/flirted with Yakumo for a few seconds until Cloud glared at him and tell him to stop charming/flirting with his wife (while Laina rolled her eyes at Reno's attempts to charmed/flirted with Yakumo) and Reno smirked at Cloud before he turned around and left the Seventh Heaven restaurant.

"Alright, listen to me, Cera." said Yakumo as she glance down at her daughter, who also glance back at Yakumo. "Mommy and Daddy are going to leave you here with Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, Orbit and Rose for a day or two."

Baby Cera gave Yakumo a "Why" look on her little face.

"Because mommy and daddy are going to help sent this lady back to her own world/dimension." Yakumo told Cera as she glance over at Laina, who's staring at them both. Cera turned her head to glance at Laina and a sad look instantly appear on her face.

"Hey now, don't give me that sad look, little one." said Laina in a soft tone of voice as she approach Cera and lightly caress her little cheek with her left hand. "It's going to spoil your pretty face and those pretty blue eyes of yours. And that would be really bad."

Cera smiled a little at Laina's words before she lifted her hands to touched/played with Laina's hair for the final time. Laina smiled and let Cera touched/played with her hair for a few minutes before she step backward away from her and Yakumo turned and gently handed Cera over to Tifa (who held out her arms, take and hold Cera carefully/gently in her arms) before Yakumo, Cloud and Laina turned and left the Seventh Heaven restaurant together.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5: Day 1 in an alternate world, part 4**

Cloud, Yakumo and Laina make their way past the two-storey/three-storey houses, the peoples and the cars/trucks who walked/drive on the street among them until they reached the beautiful and cozy looking house (which is built to almost look like the house which Yakumo used to live with her stepmother, Elmyra and her stepsister, Aerith) which Cloud, Yakumo and baby Cera live in.

"This is a lovely house which you 2 and your daughter live in, Cloud, Yakumo." said Laina as she smiled at them both.

"Thanks, Laina." said Yakumo, smiling back at her while Cloud merely nodded.

Laina look at the house for a few more seconds until her eyes saw the cool, black/silver-coloured motorcycle parked at the front of the house and an awed look appear on her face. "Wow, now that's what I called a really amazing-looking motorcycle. Is it yours, Cloud?" Laina asked Cloud.

"Yeah, it is, Laina Donovan." answered Cloud. "It's name Fenrir."

"Fenrir, huh? A cool and suitable name for your motorcycle." said Laina with a nod of her head.

Yakumo gave Laina another smile at the way she complimented her husband's motorcycle before she grabbed hold of Laina's right arm and pull/bring her into the house, down the hallway and into the backyard to introduce her trusted and friendly male golden Chocobo (named Dudley), his female mate (named Delilah) and their 4 little golden chocobo babies (named Franky, Varla, Jamie and little Andy). Laina smiled at Yakumo's Chocobos family and as she slowly hold out her hands toward them, both Dudley and Delilah lowered their heads to sniff her hands to check if she's trustworthy or not and when they sense no danger from her, they let out their wark sounds and let her caress their heads softly before letting her near their baby chocobos to caress them (while Yakumo watched the entire scene with a smile on her face).

"Your chocobos are wonderful and friendly, Yakumo." Laina told Yakumo.

"Yeah, they are, Laina." said Yakumo.

Laina caress the little chocobo babies some more until she stood up, turned to glance at Yakumo and asked Yakumo for permission for her to ride on Dudley. Yakumo ponder for a while before she nodded her head and gave Laina permission to ride on Dudley. A few minutes later, Laina is sitting on Dudley (while his mate and his chocobo babies stand near him, ready to follow him) while both Cloud and Yakumo (who wrapped her arms around Cloud's waist and had a camera tucked safely in her right pocket) is sitting on Cloud's black/silver-coloured motorcycle near Laina and Yakumo's chocobo family.

"You ready, Yakumo?" Cloud asked Yakumo.

"Ready, Cloud." answered Yakumo.

"And what about you, Laina Donovan?" Cloud asked Laina.

"Ready to go, Cloud." answered Laina.

Cloud nodded his head to them both without looking before he turn his motorcycle on and both he and Yakumo began driving down the street past the peoples and the cars/trucks walking/driving on the street, with Dudley, his chocobo family and Laina running/following closely behind them.

XXXX

 **2 hours later…**

"Here we are, in Nibelheim, again." Cloud told both Yakumo and Laina soon after they arrived at the entrance to Nibelheim before he turned off his motorcycle and both he and Yakumo got off the motorcycle while Laina climbed off Dudley and gave him and his chocobo family some Gysahl Greens to eat (which Yakumo gave to her before they leave Edge city).

Cloud, Yakumo and Laina left their motorcycle and the chocobo family near the entrance of Nibelheim, went through the entrance into the town, walked past and ignored the silent houses, inn and Item/Materia shop, went up the stairs, turned to their left and went down the dirt path toward the old Shinra mansion, open the old iron gate and the wooden front door of the mansion and they went into it. Cloud, Yakumo and Laina then went up the wooden stairs to the second floor, turned to their right to walked into one of the room which had a secret shaft stone wall built against the wall and they open the secret stone door, went down the spiral staircase toward the underground basement, climbed down two old iron ladders (while they covered their noses and mouths from the foul/moldy/dusty smell in the underground basement with their left hands) until they reached the bottom of the underground basement, turned and went down a tunnel until they reached the old underground laboratory, open the door and went into the laboratory room.

Cloud, Yakumo and Laina ignored the laboratory room, turned to their left to approach then open the wooden door and they went into the old/dusty library/office room.

"Alright, we are here now, Cloud, Yakumo." said Laina as she turn her head to glance at both Cloud and Yakumo.

"Yeah, we know, Laina." said Yakumo. "Some of the books here must have a way that can sent you back to where you came from."

"Let's start reading these books and look for a way, Yakumo, Laina Donovan." said Cloud to both Yakumo and Laina, who nodded to him before they began taking some of old/dusty books off the bookshelves and began opening/reading them 1 by 1.

 **An hour later…**

"I've found it, Laina, Cloud!" said Yakumo in a slightly loud and happy tone of voice to both Cloud and Laina while she waved an old book in her right hand. "I've found a book that has the information that can sent you back!"

"Really, Yakumo?" said Laina before she let out a relieved breath.

"That's great, Yakumo!" said Cloud in a happy/proud tone of voice to Yakumo.

Both Cloud and Laina quickly closed the books they were currently reading, put them back on the bookshelves before they approach Yakumo and the 3 of them began looking/reading the information in the book which Yakumo is currently holding in her hands. " _Other than the ordinary materia which people regularly uses to cast powerful magic attacks like Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Quake, Darkness or Ultima, summon materia which people sometime uses to called/summoned forth powerful entities like Ifrit, Shiva, Leviathan or Bahamut or the 7 rare Goddess materia which people rarely use to called forth Minerva, the powerful Goddess of Gaia, there exist one more rare materia which nobody has ever heard or seen before except me which has the amazing power that can sent and bring people away from our world/dimension to various other different dimensions. However, the location/information to where this particular rare materia is hidden remains unknown/lost to us forever."_

"Oh, how wonderful." said Laina in a sarcastic then depressed tone of voice. "Just when we thought we found a way, the rest of the information remain hidden or lost."

"Hey now, don't you give up so soon, Laina." said Yakumo in a reassuring tone of voice to Laina. "I'm sure that we'll find this materia from wherever place it's hidden. Let me try to find it with my power of Mako/ESP and when I did managed to find it, I'll tell you where it is and we'll go get it together."

"Yakumo's right, Laina Donovan." said Cloud, agreeing with Yakumo. "So don't be so depressed about it."

"…Alright, you're both right about it, Cloud, Yakumo." said Laina. "I'll stop being depressed about it and waited for you to find where it is hidden, Yakumo."

Yakumo gave a small smile to Laina before she closed her eyes, clasped her hands in from of her and began to use her power of mako/ESP to concentrate and expand out of her to search/sense from place to place for the rare materia. A few minutes later, Yakumo finally found/sense where it is located and withdraw her power of mako/ESP back into her body, unclasp her hands and open her eyes and began telling Cloud and Laina about where it is.

"Have you found it, Yakumo?" Cloud asked Yakumo.

Yakumo nodded at Cloud before she glance away from Cloud to glance at Laina. "I know where it is located/hidden, Laina."

"Where, Yakumo?" asked Laina.

"It's located/hidden in the City of the Ancients, the place where…" Yakumo began saying then lapsed into silence and a sad look appear on her face.

"…the place where Aeris died." Laina finished Yakumo's words.

Yakumo nodded her head sadly at Laina (who also had a sad look on her face, same goes for Cloud). Cloud, Yakumo and Laina stay in silent/sad moods for a few minutes before they pushed their silent/sad moods away, turned around to quickly left the underground office/library/laboratory, went down the tunnel, climbed up the 2 old iron ladders, went up the spiral staircase, open the secret stone door to went back into the room then they close the door behind them, left the room, went down the stairs to the main room, open the door and went out of the mansion then close the door behind them, walked down the dirt path then walked down the stairs back into the town, went toward the entrance where Cloud's motorcycle and Yakumo's chocobo family were waiting. Both Cloud and Yakumo climbed up onto the motorcycle while Laina climbed up onto Dudley's back before they turned their motorcycle and the chocobo and its family around and they left Nibelheim to head toward their next destination, the City of the Ancients.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6: Day 1 in an alternate world, final part**

Cloud, Yakumo, Laina, Dudley and his chocobo family left Nibelheim village swiftly and all of them arrived near the entrance to the City of the Ancients by nightfall. Cloud turned off his motorcycle before both he and Yakumo got off the motorcycle while Laina climbed off Dudley, caress his feathery head softly and gave him and his family some more Gysahl Greens to eat before she, Cloud and Yakumo went through the entrance of the City of the Ancients, walked down a long winding path made out of bony scales which leads them down into the depths of a deep canyon, reached the bottom of the canyon, went through a shadowy doorway and they find themselves in the City of the Ancients once again.

" _Here we are in the city once again._ " thought Laina to herself.

"Well, we're here now, Yakumo." said Cloud as he glance at Yakumo. "Do you still sense the rare materia?"

"Yes, Cloud, I do still sense it here." said Yakumo to both Cloud and Laina before she raised her right hand and pointed her finger down the centre path which leads toward a grove of stone-like trees far in front of them. Cloud, Yakumo and Laina then glance and nodded to each other before they walked down the centre path toward the grove of stone-like trees in front of them, went through and walked down a long, straight and slightly narrow tunnel, came out of the other side of the tunnel and all 3 of them soon saw the same lone, huge and unusual-looking white-coloured seashell building standing near the large circular pool of clear blue water which look shallow on one half of the pool while the other half is deep into the shadow.

"I sense the materia strong reading coming from the very bottom of the pond in front of us, Cloud, Laina. Sealed tightly/safely within a treasure box." Yakumo told them both.

Both Cloud and Laina nodded to her before Laina walked away from both Cloud and Yakumo, approach and stop in her tracks near the edge of the pond, close her eyes and hold out both of her hands to use her power of "Telekinesis" to take and pull the treasure box out from the bottom of the pond. Small ripples began to appear on the surface of the pond when Laina began to use her power to take/pull the treasure box up and which slowly got stronger until the treasure box broke through the surface of the pond with a slightly loud splash, floated toward Laina (who open her eyes) before she lowered the treasure box in front of both Cloud and Yakumo, stop using her power and lowered her hands down to her sides.

"Well done, Laina." said Yakumo in an approving tone of voice to Laina (while Cloud nodded his head at her) before she kneel down in front of treasure box, disable the magic spell on the treasure box with her power of mako/ESP to unsealed it, open the treasure box and they saw a single round-shaped, gold-coloured materia lying inside it. Yakumo take the gold materia out of the treasure box, stood up from the now empty treasure box, turned to glance at Laina and hold the gold materia out to her.

"Here you go, Laina. Take it." said Yakumo to Laina.

Laina nodded to Yakumo, hold out her left hand to take the gold materia from Yakumo, smiled in relieved then gave Yakumo a friend's hug. "Thanks for your help again, Yakumo. I really appreciate it. And I also appreciate you, your husband and your chocobos help in getting/bringing me to this place."

"You're welcome, Laina." said Yakumo as she smiled and hugged Laina back before they pull away from their friend's hug. "Hey, why don't we take some pictures together before you leave?"

"Take some pictures together?" said Laina in a confused tone of voice.

"You brought a camera with us, Yakumo?" Cloud asked Yakumo.

"Yeah, I did, Cloud." answered Yakumo as she pull the camera out from her pocket. "So, do you want to take some pictures with us, Laina? For remembrance."

"…Very well then, Yakumo. I guess I'll take some pictures with you 2 before I leave." said Laina.

Yakumo smiled at Laina before she pull her husband and Laina by their arms close to her (Laina stand at her right while Cloud stand at her left) and Laina help uses her power to lifted/floated the camera out of Yakumo's hands and hold it steadily in front of the 3 of them and it immediately snap 2 pictures of them standing together. Laina then return the camera to Yakumo, take and keep 1 picture of them together in her left pocket while both Cloud and Yakumo take and keep the other one and Yakumo put the camera back into her pocket.

"Well, here goes nothing." said Laina to both Cloud and Yakumo as they glance at down at the gold materia which Laina is holding in her hand before Laina hold it close to her chest, close her eyes and wished/prayed for the gold materia to sent her back to her own world/dimension. Seconds after she told her wish to the gold materia, the gold materia began to glowed brightly (which make Cloud, Yakumo and Laina covered their eyes with their hands) before bolts of gold-coloured lightning appear and erupt out of the gold materia and a huge oval-shaped portal/doorway made out of pure energy started forming/appearing in front of them.

Cloud, Yakumo and Laina lowered their hands from their eyes when the bright glow of the gold materia slowly dimmed down and they saw the energy portal/doorway in front of them.

"Well, I guess this is farewell, Cloud, Yakumo." said Laina as she glance at both Cloud and Yakumo.

"Yeah, farewell, Laina Donovan." said Cloud.

"And Laina, I wish you and your friends/companions huge luck in defeating Sephiroth, Hojo and the Shinra company." Yakumo told Laina.

"Don't you worry, Yakumo. We'll do our best." said Laina to Yakumo before she lowered and put the gold materia down onto the ground, glance at the doorway/portal and step into the doorway/portal without hesitation and vanished inside it.

Both Cloud and Yakumo watched as Laina step and vanished into the doorway/portal before it started to shrink smaller and smaller until it vanished completely. They also noticed that both the gold materia which lies on the ground and the treasure chest which kept it safely have also vanished as well.

" _It must have gone back into hiding once again."_ thought Yakumo to herself.

"Now that we've help sent her back, shall we return to our home now, Yakumo?" said Cloud as he glance at his wife.

"Yeah, let's go home, Cloud." said Yakumo as she glance at her husband before they turned around and swiftly left the City of the Ancients.

 **FIN.**


End file.
